Or Forever Hold Your Peace
by AprilFlowers96
Summary: Ron and Lavender are getting married, and Hermione can't have that. Small and logical Hermione turns into a wedding crasher. Songfic to "Speak Now" by Taylor Swift.


**Based on Taylor Swift's "Speak Now". WARNING: Very cliché! But sweet.**

She knew what she was doing. She knew _exactly_ what she was doing and, bloody hell, she was going to do it. She made the mistake of keeping quiet once (twice, really, but the second time it was half her fault) and that was not happening again.

The day Hermione Granger received intelligence that Ron Weasley, _her Ron_, was getting married to someone else a year after they broke up was the day she lost it. She cried for about two hours before Harry had finally gotten the message that she was upset, since she didn't reply to his letter in which he told her about the wedding in the first place. After her crying fit was over, she was livid. At Ron for getting married so quickly, at herself for letting him go over some petty fight, and then at Ron again for choosing Lavender Brown over everyone else in the world. Lavender! Was he daft? She frequently asked herself this question. Though, she knew, she was still madly in love with him.

Because of the truth of that last fact, Hermione was there. Waiting a good distance away from the church, watching people go in. She wasn't invited. She knew she wasn't the kind of person to be doing something like this, crashing a wedding, she wasn't sneaky or conniving or anything like that. But she couldn't let Ron marry Lavender, she could never live herself.

_I am not the kind of girl,_

_Who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion,_

_But you are not the kind of boy,_

_Who should be marrying the wrong girl,_

Hermione knew she needed to get in somehow, but there was an old wizard asking for invitations at the front door. Probably Lavender's grandfather or something. He would never let her in. So Hermione did her best at walking casually around the church, looking for an open window or side-door she could get into. Sure, some people saw her but paid no mind, none of them knew that girl was Hermione. She wore a dress of deep crimson, ending just above her knee, black high heels and a hat. The hat held all her hair up, and it was tilted ever so slightly so that when a person looked at her face they would only see one eye. Hermione didn't usually do accessories, or dress up at all, so no one would suspect a thing.

_Ah, here we go, back door_. Hermione thought to herself as she rounded the back end of the church. She stopped by a tree suddenly, noticing a person standing there. To her delight, it was Ginny. She was wearing a lime green dress with her hair pinned tightly back. Ginny hated it when her hair was tied to tight, even her ponytails were loose. She was facing away from Hermione, and Hermione decided to have a little fun with this. She started walking towards the door, her heels crunching the dry grass.

Ginny spun around, noticing Hermione in an instant. "Who are you and what are you doing here? Guests go in the front."

"Well, I'm not exactly a guest." Hermione replied and walked closer still, "Here, let me introduce myself." She walked closer and closer to Ginny while she pulled her hat off, shaking her curls free and holding out her hand, "Hi, I'm Hermione Granger."

Ginny gasped and stood there for a moment, before jumping up and down like a schoolgirl and throwing her arms around Hermione. Ginny was smart, Hermione knew, so she had probably caught onto why she was there.

Ginny stepped back and looked Hermione up and down. "Are you here for the reason I think?"

"If you think it's because I'm here to save your brother, then yes." Hermione said.

"Thank Merlin! She's all wrong for him, Hermione." Ginny moaned, "She was very nice and pleasant when they were dating shortly after you two broke up, and when they first got engaged too, but then about a quarter way through the planning Lavender turned into a crazy control freak!"

"I know, Gin." Hermione said, "That's why I'm here. To save you from having a hag for a sister-in-law and to save me from going crazy and ending up alone like she always thought I would."

Ginny laughed softly and her eyes flashed to the group of people coming up the side of the church. "Come on, I'll sneak you in." she said grabbing Hermione's arm "And we're walking away."

Hermione put the hat back on her head and stuffed her hair back in. Ginny commented on her nice disguise. They pass the back rooms, and Hermione swore she could hear Lavender's annoyingly high-pitched voice yelling at someone. They came upon the sanctuary, where the alter was, and Hermione grimaced. She knew Ron probably had no say in any of the decorations. The flowers were big, white, pink, blue, and they were _everywhere._ There weren't even any roses, and Ron liked roses the most. So did Hermione. Her family was on one side, dressed in fine pastel dress robes. She knew Lavender thought they were in style while Ron thought they were tacky and annoying. He liked the deeper colors, that was one reason why Hermione's dress was red like it was. Then there were the Weasleys, and her heart yearned to go over and hug them all. But not yet. There was Harry by the alter, talking to George next to him. Ron wasn't there, and Hermione wondered where he was. Why was he late? He was the one getting married, for Merlin's sake!

_I sneak in and see your friends,_

_And her snotty little family all dressed in pastel,_

_And she is yelling at a bridesmaid,_

_Somewhere back inside a room wearing a gown shaped like a pastry,_

Suddenly there's footsteps echoing down the hall, along with shouts of last praise and "just relax". Ginny turns to see and whips back around to Hermione frantically. "It's Ron!" she cried, "Turn around and act natural."

Hermione turns and faces the wall, pulling the hat lower around her eyes. Ginny stands nonchalantly next to her, giving Ron a wave and a smile as he passes. Her gives her a fleeting smile back before going into the sanctuary towards the alter. Hermione turns back around, watching his back. She sighs longingly and leans on the wall, still watching Ron's form go to stand by Harry, who claps him on the back. He hadn't changed at all in the year they'd been apart.

Hermione's mind wanders to the daydream of her finding all the confidence and bravery she had to stand up after the old wizard said "speak now or forever hold you peace". She would confess that her ever-lasting love for him was still there. She would ask him to run away with her, leave Lavender at the alter, and be with her instead. And he would go, pulling off the hat covering her face to kiss her right on the-

"Hermione!" Ginny hissed, "It's about to start!"

_This is surely not what you thought it would be,_

_I lose myself in a daydream where I stand and say,_

_Don't say yes, run away with me,_

_I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door,_

_Don't wait or say a single vow,_

_You need to hear me out,_

_And they said speak now,_

Hermione nodded and thought fast, hiding herself the thick curtains by the door. Ginny goes and takes a seat in the front row, next to her parents and brothers. Hermione wondered of she could get away with sitting in the empty spot on the last bench. She looked around as a clerk signaled the organ player, who started playing immediately. Hermione grimaced again, the music sounded off key and dark. Not like the wedding march she knew.

_Fond gestures are exchanged,_

_And the organ starts to play a song that sounds like a death march,_

_And I am hiding in the curtains,_

_Looks like I was uninvited by your lovely bride-to-be,_

Just as the doors open again to let Lavender in after the bridesmaids were done, Hermione slipped out of the curtains and into that empty seat. The other two occupants of that bench were familiar to her, they must have been from Bill and Fleur's wedding. Which also meant that Hermione was on the right side.

Lavender glides into the room on her father's arm, the puffy gown she was wearing taking up most of the space on the aisle. It didn't even look like she was walking; it looked like she was hovering over the floor. Hermione was surprised Mr. Brown didn't step on the hem, causing both of them to trip. _That_ would make Hermione's day. But no such luck.

_She floats down the aisle like a pageant queen,_

_But I know you wish it was me, you wish it me,_

_Don't you?_

_Don't say yes, run away now,_

_I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door,_

_Don't wait or say a single vow,_

_You need to hear me out, _

_And they said speak now,_

She looked over at Ron, who was smiling, but it didn't reach his eyes. Not even close. Shouldn't he be glowing and fidgeting slightly because the beauty of the girl he loves is right there in front of him and this is the very moment he's always dreamed of? No, of course not, because Hermione knows he doesn't love her. Okay, she doesn't know for sure. But just the way he looks pretty much says it for Hermione, and she's almost sure he loves her still. She hoped with all her heart that was true.

_Don't say yes, run away now,_

_I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door,_

_Don't wait or say a single vow,_

_Your time is running out and they said speak now,_

Hermione impatiently (which is strange for her) threw everything said in the service before the vows. She tapped her fingers, she crossed and uncrossed her legs over and over, and looked around a lot. The couple next to her was getting very annoyed. Hermione didn't care. She had to wait, and it felt like they were going painfully slow just to antagonize her.

And then it came.

"If anyone objects to the union of this couple, speak now of forever hold your peace."

Everyone looks around, daring someone to say something. Ginny's eyes find Hermione's and she gives an encouraging nod. Hermione swallows hard, takes a deep breath and stands. She pulls off her hat in the process and all eyes land on her.

"I do." she declared, and was pleasantly surprised at the confidence in her own voice.

There's a collective gasp around the room and a strangled cry (more like a growl) from Lavender.

"Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley yelped from the first row. Hermione didn't know if she was happy or upset.

"Hermione!" Harry's voice echoed around, sounding more like a cheer than an accusation.

Ron's eyes closed for a few seconds, as if testing to see if he was dreaming. When they opened again, they fell on her. "Hermione." he whispered, but Hermione swore it carried all the way over to her ears. Her heart pumped a thousand times faster.

_I hear the preacher say speak now or forever hold your peace,_

_There's the silence, there's my last chance,_

_I stand up with shaking hands,_

_All eyes on me,_

_Horrified looks from everyone in the room,_

_But I'm only looking at you,_

Hermione took another deep breath and her eyes stayed on Ron. "I'm not the kind the person who crashes a wedding, as all of you will know." she said gesturing to the Weasleys and all of Ron's side, "But you are not the kind of person who should be marrying the wrong girl."

To everyone's complete surprise, Hermione laughed shortly. She left the bench and started walking down the aisle with the new found confidence bubbling inside her.

_I am not the kind of girl,_

_Who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion,_

_But you are not the kind of boy,_

_Who should be marrying the wrong girl,_

"Don't do it," Hermione said, "Don't marry her, Ron, she's not right for you. She doesn't know you. _I_ know you so well, I can tell you're not happy. Your eyes aren't sparkling."

As Hermione got closer and closer to the alter, Lavender got angrier and angrier, and Ron's face stayed the same. Bewildered.

"Don't say it, Ron." Hermione continued, "You'll be unhappy for the rest of your life, run away. I'll even meet you in the back."

_Don't say yes, run away now,_

_I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door,_

_Don't wait or say a single vow,_

_You need to hear me out and they said speak now,_

Ron's face lit up and Lavender screeched, "How did she get in? I made it very clear that Hermione Granger was _not _to be invited!"

When Ron didn't say anything, Hermione continued. "I'll leave right now," she said, "If you tell me you don't love me anymore."

All eyes fell on the three of them and the tension in the room was almost palpable. Lavender was looking fiercely at Ron while Hermione's face was soft and patient.

"I can't tell you that." Ron said after moments of silence.

Hermione's face broke out into a smile and Ron jumped off the alter. Lavender cried out angrily and her family protested behind her. Hermione and Ron met in the middle, embracing tightly.

_And you say let's run away now,_

_I'll meet you when I'm out of my tux at the back door,_

_Baby, I didn't say my vows,_

_So glad you were around when they said speak now._

And they left that church, and everyone in it. They ran out the back, Ron still in his dress robes and Hermione in her crimson dress. They ran through the field in the back, laughing and making up for lost time. Hermione jumped onto Ron and he picked her up off the ground, spinning her around. Then the couple shared their first kiss in what seemed like ages.

* * *

**I'm almost a little resentful of the cliche-ness of this story. But, it's a wedding story, it had to be cliche. Plus, that's how I roll. Taylor Swift has inspired me a lot lately. :)**


End file.
